COVID-19's Effect on Practice Quality Improvement and Transformation Activities: Practice Survey Results.

Background And Objectives: The Transforming Clinical Practices Initiative (TCPI) was a 4-year, large-scale, collaborative, peer-based learning initiative for physician practices of all specialties with broad goals to improve the quality of patient care, spend health care dollars more wisely, and assist practices in being ready to succeed under value-based payment (VBP). We investigated whether the COVID-19 pandemic had erased or diminished practice transformation progress made during the TCPI program period, through a follow-up survey of participating practices fielded in October 2021.

Methods: In October 2021 to April 2022, we surveyed a probability sample of 2207 primary care and specialty practices that participated in the TCPI, receiving 610 responses.

Recommendations for Updates to Emergency Medical Kits for Commercial Aviation.

Emergency medical kits (EMK) are provided to clinicians who volunteer on commercial aircraft during a medical emergency. The contents of the EMKs are mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States and, internationally, by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the country of airline origin. The mandatory contents of the kits have not been updated by the Federal Aviation Administration since 2006, and the EMKs continue to lack key equipment such as automated blood pressure cuffs, glucometers, pulse oximeters, and epinephrine autoinjectors.

FGF Signaling Regulates Development of the Anterior Fontanelle.

The calvarial bones of the infant skull are connected by transient fibrous joints known as sutures and fontanelles, which are essential for reshaping during birth and postnatal growth. Genetic disorders such as Apert, Pfeiffer, Crouzon, and Bent bone dysplasia linked to variants often exhibit multi-suture craniosynostosis and a persistently open anterior fontanelle (AF). This study leverages mouse genetics and single-cell transcriptomics to determine how regulates closure of the AF closure and its transformation into the frontal suture during postnatal development.

Practice Transformation in the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative and Emergency Department Use.

To provide insight on how ambulatory care practices can reduce emergency department (ED) visits, we studied changes in Medicare ED visits for primary and specialty care practices in the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative. We compared practices that transformed more vs less during the 6-year period ending in 2021 (3,773 practices). Using data from a practice transformation assessment tool completed at multiple intervals, we found improvement in the transformation score was associated with reduced ED visits by 6% and 4% for primary and specialty care practices, respectively, 3 to 4 years after first assessment.